KOLHAPUR: A survey by the Kolhapur Municipal Corporation has uncovered 204 illegal constructions across 158 acres of civic land adjacent to the Tawde hotel on Kolhapur-Gandhinagar road. This includes 88 structures built in defiance of court orders, according to officials.
Out of the total constructions, 33 are located within the floodplain of the Panchaganga river, raising significant environmental and safety issues. The survey, conducted by five KMC teams on April 24 and 25, has been forwarded to the municipal commissioner for further action.
This survey stems from a recent Supreme Court decision affirming that the land claimed by the Uchgaon gram panchayat near Tawde hotel is owned by the municipal corporation. KMC officials confirmed the civic body owns 158 acres in the area, with 23.5 acres designated for a truck terminus and additional parcels reserved for a garbage depot; the remaining sections are classified as no-development zones. Despite this, extensive illegal construction continues.
An anonymous official shared, “The survey documented details such as land ownership, construction period, number of floors, type and usage of structures, occupancy status, and whether new constructions were added to existing buildings.” The entire process was also recorded on video.
Additionally, Rajendra Kamble, an activist from Koyna Colony in Gandhinagar, commented, “Many affluent individuals have illegally constructed buildings in the Tawde hotel region and are attempting to exert political pressure to evade consequences. The municipal corporation must demolish these illegal structures. If action is not taken, I will self-immolate in front of the municipal corporation and have submitted a written statement regarding this to KMC commissioner Dr. Rajendra Bharud.”
